How do you refer to your company or team culture? Do you refer to yourself and your immediate team as “we” or “us” and to your company or extended team as “they” or “them”? If you do, do you think this is a problem? I do.

For arguments sake, let’s refer to you as a non-zombie and we’ll refer to your extended team or company as the potential zombies.

Though it was fun back in the 5th grade to play a game of tug of war with your classmates, it’s not so cool when you’re working in a corporate environment. Projects can be challenging enough. You shouldn’t have to be distracted by other groups who don’t have the same high level goals or values as yourself. You should be working as a team in order to be successful. But, does your team or company have clearly defined goals or values? I’ll ask it a different way. Does your team or company have them written down; you know what they are; and you know what they mean? If not, you and your group are at risk of being part of the zombie culture.

Zombie culture is a lot more common than you might think. Zombies have no specific goals, other than to eat your brain. They’re not trying to make you a zombie. Becoming a zombie is merely a byproduct to having been bitten by the undead. They really don’t care.

I’ve said before, don’t do something unless it’s applicable to meeting a goal. But I bet you’re asking yourself right about now, “Derek, if my coworker doesn’t smell like rotting flesh or isn’t squatting in a corner knawing on a foot, how do I know they are a zombie?” I’ve compiled a list of a few indicators of zombie culture.

Zombie Culture Indicators

Hosts meetings…long meetings… several of them…with no agenda… with several invitees.

Stops by your desk a lot to ask what’cha doin’?

Withholds information for personal gain

Just shows up for work and thinks they are doing you a favor

Farts (Actually, thinking of a farting zombie made me laugh so I thought I would add it)

Uses the “cc” email feature by default, when the recipient has nothing to do with the conversation

Uses the “reply-all” email feature to continue conversations that don’t pertain to the group

Is disrespectful

Is untrustworthy (with throw you under a bus)

Does not lead by example

Tries to impress everyone by how smart they are. (that’s a more advanced zombie type)

I can go on and on but I really don’t like negative posts. Let’s turn this around. What values can you and your team have that will have zombies avoiding you like the perfume department of the local Macy’s department store?

Values to Repel Zombie Culture

Deliver WOW Through Service

Embrace and Drive Change

Create Fun and A Little Weirdness

Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded

Pursue Growth and Learning

Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication

Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit

Do More With Less

Be Passionate and Determined

Expect to deliver the extraordinary

Treat others with respect

Promote collaboration and teamwork

Encourage creativity and risk-taking

Make and meet our commitments

Trust and support one another

Be Humble

I’m going to admit, I didn’t think up those awesome zombie-repelling values. I got them from Zappos and VersionOne. I’m going to go out on a limb and say I don’t think either of those organizations have zombie cultures. Can you say the same for yours?

About Derek Huether

I'm an Enterprise Agile Coach at LeadingAgile. I have a goal to take the hand waving out of Agile, Kanban, & Scrum. I’m a strange combination of a little OCD, a little ADHD, a lot of grit, and a lot of drive. I come from a traditional PM background but I don't give points for stuff done behind the scenes. The only thing that counts is what you get done and delivered. Author of Zombie Project Management (available on Amazon)